Thursday, January 24, 2013

Rukmini and Krishna - Part 2 of 3

The minute
Rukmini saw her father, she knew something was wrong. Her father's
normally sparkling eyes were looking glazed. He had a vexed look in
his eyes. With a thumping heart she asked her father slowly, 'Father!
What is it? Something is wrong...'

Bhishmaka saw
his daughter and felt self pity raking through him. He had promised
his daughter that she would marry the man of her dreams....Now....

Slowly,
haltingly coaxed by the loving Rukmini, Bhishmaka told his daughter
everything that Rukmi had told her. Rukmini was aghast! Her brother
had stooped so low and was planning to get her married even without
her consent....Rukmini had heard all about Sishupala...She would
rather die than marry that man....How on earth could her brother
even compare that excuse of a human being with her Krishna?

Bhishmaka
looked unhappily at Rukmini. 'I...I don't know what to do....I cannot
stop your brother...' Bhishmaka looked helplessly at his daughter,
tears in his eyes. Rukmini shook her head and wiped her father's
tears. 'It is ok, father! It is really ok...' Bhishmaka looked at his
daughter, who was looking at him with a steely look in her eyes.
Bhishmaka saw a resolve of determination in her eyes....Bhishmaka
looked at his daughter with sudden alarm. 'What are you going to do?'

Rukmini smiled
at her father. 'The only thing which matters to me is
that you approve of my choice. Leave the rest to
me....'

'What are you
going to do?' Bhishmaka whispered again.

Rukmini
smiled at her father. 'I am going to make sure I marry the man I
love....' Bhishmaka was taken aback. But only for a second. He
smiled. He knew his daughter well. Once she had decided to do
something, she would do it.....happiness
spread through him.

Rukmini fell
at her father's feet.

**********

Rukmini sent
for a local priest, who often came to their palace. He was a man of
great discretion and her father trusted him implicitly. He had
seen Rukmini since she had been a child and Rukmini knew that he was
totally trustworthy....

When the man
arrived, Rukmini received him graciously.

'What is the
matter,child? The man asked looking at the determined Rukmini.
Rukmini was looking upset. The man had never seen Rukmini like
this....

'Sir! I want
you to carry a message for me. I want you to carry it to Dwaraka....to the Dark Lord! To Krishna!' Rukmini said with a
sudden smile. 'You will find that Krishna receives everyone in his
kingdom....So you will have no problem in meeting him face to
face....' Rukmini said with a sudden surety.

The man
blinked, not understanding. Rukmini explained everything to the man,
wasting no words.

With a smile
in his lips, the man left for Dwaraka.

Probably
because the man himself wanted to meet Krishna, or may be it was his
fate to make sure the divine lovers met each other. For whatever
reason, the man found himself in Dwaraka very soon. True to Rukmini's
prediction he found himself standing before the handsome Dark Lord of
Dwaraka, who received him with love and affection.

Krishna
treated him with great hospitality. After the man was fed and well
looked after, Krishna asked him. 'Sir! You are from the Kingdom of
Vidharba! What brings such a good man like you from such a far away
kingdom....'

The man
composed his thoughts. 'Sir! As you said I come from Vidharba! King
Bhishmaka is the ruler of the Kingdom. He has five sons and a
daughter. Rukmi is his eldest son and Rukmini....' The man smiled.
'Rukmini is his only daughter, the apple of his eye....Bhishmaka, the
King of Vidharba wanted his daughter to marry you...' The man said as
Krishna looked surprised. 'Me? I didn't know that....In fact no one
from that kingdom has come to me....'

The man
sighed. 'Sir! King Bhishmaka is very old! The actual power lies in
the hands of Rukmi,his son!' Krishna frowned as the man continued.
'Rukmi wants his sister to marry Sishupala,the king of Chedi!'

Krishna looked
appalled! Sishupala was arrogant and evil....Krishna
shook his hands and looked at the man. 'What does Rukmini have to say
about this?'

The man smiled
inspite of himself. 'Rukmini has heard so much about you....she is in
love with you! She wants to marry you and no one else....I come with
a message from her!'

Krishna looked
mischievously as the man gave the message.

Achyuta,

I have
heard so much about you that it feels that I already know you....And
all the things that I have heard about you....makes me love you even
more.

I am the
daughter of the King of Vidharba, a princess by birth and I am
intelligent and I think I am in every way fit to be your wife.

My brother
wants me to marry Sishupala. I belong to you and not some arrogant,
evil man,who does not even know what love is.

If you let
Sishupala take me...beware! My death falls on your head!'

I have also
made arrangements for you to take me away. I know that a warrior
would not like to enter the quarters of an unmarried woman. Do not
worry! On the day of marriage, we have a custom to go and ask the
blessings of Goddess Durga in a temple which is very far from the
palace. I think the path to the temple would be best place for you to
take me away, with you! I am counting on you! Please come!

I have sent
a message through his man, who has known me since I was a little
girl.

The man looked
at Krishna's face which seemed to be glowing...The man asked Krishna
anxiously. 'What is your reply, sir?

Krishna looked
at the man. 'Narada'...Krishna smiled. 'Sage Narada came here often
and used to narrate stories of Rukmini! I kept hearing so much about
her...that I could not help but fall in love with her! I have been
waiting and waiting for her father to arrange for her
swayamvara....But suddenly my spies reported about Rukmi and
Sishupala...' Krishna shook his head unhappily. 'I have been
worried...I could not even sleep at night...' Krishna looked at the
man. 'And now you have come. Hearing your words have calmed my
fears...' Krishna spoke as he got up. 'But now we must hurry! Rukmini
is waiting!' Krishna smiled. 'Rukmini is waiting for me!'

Krishna called
his charioteer Daruka and asked him to keep four of his favourite
horses – Shaibhya, Meghapushpa, Sugriva and Valahaka ready for
travel.

Krishna along
with the man traveled in the chariot. The horses were swift and they
traveled all day and night. They reached Vidharba the very next
day....

************

Balarama came
out of his palace looking around. He frowned. He summoned his guard.
'I do not see Krishna! Where is he?'

The guard
bowed. 'Your highness! Lord Krishna has left for Vidharba!

Balrama looked
perplexed. 'Why on earth would he leave for Vidharba all of a
sudden....' A sudden comprehension dawned on his face. 'Did somebody
come to see him yesterday!'

The guard
nodded. 'Yes sir! A priest from Vidharba came to see him....'

Balarama was
quick in joining all the dots. He turned to his general. 'Get the
army ready...we are marching to Vidharba!'

The general
looked uncomprehendingly. 'Vidharba? Why?'

'Krishna is
going to need help!' Balarama explained hurriedly as he walked back
to the palace to get his weapons. Balarama smiled. 'Krishna has gone
for Rukmini!'

**********

The kingdom of
Vidharba and its capital Kundinapura looked beautiful. It was
decorated lavishly and all the people of the kingdom were in a
festive mood.

Despite the
festive mood, Sishupala, Jarasandha, Salva had all come with their
huge armies. Prince Rukmi had warned them before hand about his
father's reaction to Rukmini's marriage. All of them suspected that
Krishna would come for the wedding and try to take away
Rukmini....None of them could accept the fact that a cowherd could
aspire the hands of a princess...Krishna had to be stopped at all
costs....

**********

Rukmini spent
the morning in anxiety so heightened that she could not do
anything. Had the man reached Krishna? Would Krishna come?
Did Krishna even love her? The questions just kept haunting
her again and again....She tried everything to keep her mind occupied
but every time she saw the marriage hall being decorated until the
last minute, she would feel queasy...What would happen?

Finally it was
time for the customary puja at the Durga temple. Rukmini was walking
with a heavy heart. She realized her plans had not worked...Either
Krishna had not got her message or did not care about her....

Feeling bitter
Rukmini was walking down the palace steps, every step getting more
and more heavy....Rukmini's eyes were blurred as she found that she
was weeping....Suddenly Rukmini saw a familiar face....She blinked
away her tears...was it.....? Unable to believe her eyes she
saw...It was indeed the priest she had sent. He was
walking towards her with a quiet smile. His manner of walking and his
smile told her more than anything he could ever say.

Rukmini
grinned through her tears. The man came forward and nodded his head.
'The Lord is here! He said he will come for you.....!'

He is
coming for you...Rukmini did not hear anything else. He
is coming for you...Krishna is coming for me....

Rukmini fell
at the feet of the man. 'Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much!
There is nothing more I can say....'

Rukmini
literally flew to the temple of Durga! There, with a full heart she
worshiped Goddess Durga. Thank you! You have made me a part
of Krishna....Krishna is now a part of me...Thank you! I bow before
you!

Rukmini walked
out of the temple slowly. The princes and the Kings assembled to
escort the princess back to the palace gasped. Rukmini looked
ravishingly beautiful....Rukmini walked out of the temple in slow
steps, her heart beating. As she stepped out of the temple, she
felt him...Rukmini turned right and blinked. Standing before her
was one of the most handsome looking men she had ever seen. Rukmini
realized that Krishna was so handsome that no words could ever
describe his beauty....His dark body with his dark eyes....He looked
like a Deva coming towards her.

Time, it
seemed, stood still when the two lovers met for the first time.
Krishna walked towards Rukmini and smiled as he escorted her towards
his chariot. Rukmini felt blissful as she climbed on to the chariot.

The entire
group watched in stunned silence. Krishna had taken the
princess...For a few seconds utter confusion reigned. Then the kings
and the princes got on their chariot and chased the two of them.

The kings let
their arrows fly all of which avoided the chariot, because of the
deft handling of the chariot....

The kings
chased and they reached the end of the kingdom. There they
faltered....Standing before them was not just Krishna with Rukmini,
but Balarama with the entire Yadava army in its full splendor...